Electric switch



J. W. SIMMONS ET AL ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Sept. 28. 1921 Patented naar, rae.

Jo w. 1li-ations .ann sonner r. examens, or CLEVELAND, omo, Assmnmv; To

FALD n". .ii UFACTU i PTIO GF PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC SWIT n:

MIG; COMPANY, F NORTH EAST, PENNSYLV 00B- Applieation filed September 28, 1921. erial No. 598,&76.

To all whom t may concern: Be it knownthat we, J ORN W. SIMMONS and ROBERT P. SIMMONS, citizens of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the e county of Cuyahoga and State of 0hio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,

reference being had to the accompanying le drawings.

This invention relates generally to electric switches and more particularly to certain iinproved details of construction in a switch intended for use in. connection with the rear le end signal lamp of an automobile, althou h it will be understood that such device can e employed equally as Well for other puroses.

The object 'of the invention is simplicity 2o and chea ness of manufacture combined with dura ility and efliciency in operation.

With these various objects in View the invention consists in the details of construction hereinafter fully described and in the manner of combining the same, all of which will be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming a -part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a switch constructed in accordance with our invention, said switch being open; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position of the parts when the switch is closed to complete the circuit; Fig. 3 is a detail view of the casing; Fig. 4 is a detail view of the switch parts detached from the casing; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of the lever and insulatedy head carried thereby; and Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional View on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

1n the practical embodiment of our invention we employ a casing preferably formed of sheet metal and comprising a ase portion l0, Sides 11, and ends 12, said endsbe ing provided with integral horizontal extensions 13 apertured at 14 and by means of which the casing can beattached to the frame member or bottom of an automobile or any other xed object.

The base portion is provided With two. openings 15 adjacent the ends thereof, and

a longitudinal slot 16 is produced in the bottom or base of said casing adjacent one side thereof.

A strip of ber or other insulating material 17 is fitted into the casing and is of suchsize and shape as to it snugly within the casing and rest upon the bottom thereof, said strip being cut away at one side as shown at 18, such cutaway portion aligning with the slot 16 cut in the bottom of the casing.

At one end of the stri is cut a rectangular shaped notch 19 and a jacent said notch is produced an aperture 20 which aligns with one of the openings 15 in the bottom of the casing and another opening 20 is also produced adjacent the o posite end of the fiber strip 17, this secon opening 20 aligning with the second opening 15 in the bottom of the casing. l

Upon the end of the fiber stri 17 which is not notched, we arrangea bloc 21 of an suitable insulating material having a notch 22 cut in the end thereof and this block is also apertured as indicated at 23 and when the block is properly positioned upon the strip 17 the aperture 23 Will register with the apertures 20 and 15.

Upon the block 21 We place a metallic conductor strip 24 having one end 25 turned down into the notch 22 and the opposite end 26 is also turned down slightly to provide a convenient contact as will be more fullyV described hereinafter; and this metallic plate 24 has a square opening 27 which is adapted to register with the openings 23, 20 and 15 and which receives the squared por tion 28 of the screw and binding post 29, said screw post passing through the meta-l plate 24, insulating block 21, strip 17 and bottom of the casing and for the purpose of securely fastening the switch member with the casing we screw the nuts 30 upon the projecting end of the screws 29, there being interposed an insulating washer 31 which insulates the nut from the casing. The circuit wire C is connected as usual to the projecting portion of the binding post or screw.. To the opposite end of the strip 17, We at` tach a metallic plate 32 having the end 33 t@ Aapplied and also a circuit wire C and this spring 32 will be so shaped that its free end normally tends to spring up into engagement with the end 26 of the plate 24.

By notching the end of the strip 17 and' i the end of the block 21 and turning down the ends of the plates 24 and 32 and providing square openings therein to receive the' squared portions of the screws or binding posts, it will be obvious that we securely hold these vcontact (plates in their proper relative positions an plates turning to one side or the other is completely avoided.'

Aspreviously stated, the normal tendency of the contact plate 32 is to spring into engagement with the plate 24 by means of which the circuit is closed. ln order to separate the Contact plates to keep the circuit open, we employ ailever 35 pivoted from a bolt 36'passing transversely through the casing and having a bushing 37 surrounding the same and this lever projects through the opening 16 formed in the bottom of the casing and at its lower end is connected -to a pull rod or wire 38 which in turn is connected to the brake of the automobile or to any other suitable operating mechanism. rlhe head of the lever which is within the casing is formed with a laterally projecting lug 39 and also with an' arm 40 which carries an insulating block or roller 41 thereon and a coiled spring 42 surrounding the bushing 37 at one end bearing upon the laterally projecting lug 39 and .the other end thereof seated in a slotcut in the edge of the casing, the tension of said spring exerted against the lug 39 serving to throw the lever in such direction that the insulating roller contacts with the spring plate 32 and forces and holds the same out of contact with the plate 24, this being the normal condition of the parts, maintaining the open circuit. When the lever is operated by the pull rod or wire 38 the roller 41 is raised and the spring contact plate 32 immediately springs into contact with the plate 24 closing the circuit. A nut 43 is screwed upon the projecting end of the bolt 36 and the extreme end of the coiled wire s ring which is seated'in the slot in the si e of the casing can be made to contact with said nut and serve as a means for preventing said nut becoming loosened.

lt will be understood that the' moment kthat the pull upon the rod or wire 38 is re lieved, the tension of the spring will throw the lever back and force the insulating block or roller 41 into engagement with the contact plate 32 breaking the circuit.

that all danger of said i ,traste It will thus be seen that We provide an exceedingly simple'and compact switch device, one which can be cheaply manufactured and which owing to the details of construction, can be quickly andk accurately assembled and w-hen once in place will be securely held against disarrangement. The switch mechanismbeing entirely enclosed in the casing and said casing being secured to the automobile, frame member or bottom completely envelope the switch mechanism.

It will of course be understood that the insulating strip 17 and the block 21 can be made integral if desired.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. A switch comprising a casing having attaching ears, a pair of contact plates arranged in said casing, insulated from said casing and from each other, binding screws connected to said plates and extending without the casing, a lever pivoted in said casing, an insulated arm carried by said lever and adapted to press one contact 4plate away from the other contact plate, and means for moving said lever.

2. A switch comprising a casing, a pair of contact plates arranged therein, binding posts connected to said plates and extending Without the casing, a transverse pivot bolt,

a lever thereon having aninsulated arm adapted to contact with one of said plates, and a spring for moving said lever in one direction and means for moving said lever in a reverse direction.

3. A switch comprising a casing, a strip of insulating material litted in said casing and resting upon the bottom thereof, said strip having a notch at one end, a contact plate having an endA turned into said notch, a notched insulating block arranged upon the opposite end of'said strip, a contact plate having one end turned into said last named notch, binding posts passing throughsaid plates, strips and bottom of casing, said posts having squared portions adapted to fit into squared openings in the contact plates and a spring actuated roller carryingan insulating member adapted to contact with the lirst named contact plate, and means for actuating said lever.

4. A switch comprising a sheet metal casing, a strip of insulating material fitted into said casing and resting upon the bottom thereof, an insulating block arranged upon one end of said strip, said block and the opposite end of said strip being notched, a spring contact plate arranged upon the insulating strip and a second contact plate arranged upon the insulating block, the ends of said plates being bent and fitted 'into the notches in said strip and block, bindin posts passing through said plates, block and strip and bottom of casing, said binding posts having squared portions litting into illllll squared openings in the contact plates,

lever pivoted to the casing, tained in seid casing and ac lever and an insulating roll ting upon said a spring conro 5 said lever and normally held in enga ement with the first named contact purpose of opening the switch together with JOHNW S I u u ROBERT P. SI

plate or the MMUNS. 

